"Proper Place”

Mr. Henry Puts Cook Is. Chiefs In Their "Proper Place”

Mr. Albert Henry, the Cook Islander who has recently been making a loud splash in the

Cook Islands political pool, kept

up his winning ways in July.

HE was elected president of the Cook Islands Party at Rarotonga on July 6, after he had pointed out to a crowd of 1,000 party supporters that the “proper place” for the Ariki (the land-owning high chiefs of the Cooks) was with their people, con trolling district and village affairs, and not actively engaged in politics, Ariki members of the party, he said, should be elevated to the position of patrons.

Mr. Henry’s point of view got major backing and resulted in the party presidency becoming vacant.

The presidency, as it happened, had been held by Makea Vakatini Ariki, who had been elected following the resignation of the party’s first presi dent, Makea Nui Teremoana Ariki, in June.

The Cook Islands Party, which is the first political party in the Cook Islands, was founded by Mr. Henry at a public meeting in Rarotonga on June 15.

That meeting had proposed and seconded Mr. Henry as the first presi dent, but at the last minute Makea Nui Ariki, who is a member of the Legislative Assembly, queried the party’s capabilities (although not its good faith).

This resulted in Mr. Henry offer ing to stand down to allow Makea Nui to be nominated and elected (PIM, July, p. 9). Mr. Henry was made vice-president. Makea Nui resigned soon afterwards.

Executive Committee The July 6 meeting, described as the party’s first official meeting, also confirmed Mr. Henry’s selection of members of the central executive committee. All were elected un opposed.

They are: Dr. Manea Tamarua, vice-president; Mana Strickland, sec retary-treasurer; Sadaraka Sadaraka, MA, assistant secretary-treasurer; Mrs. Maria Henderson, Mrs. Raitia Tepuretu and Mrs. Marguerite Storey, committee members. © See also letter p. 25 and story p. 53.